Myth of the Moon

Author: (English) Cassord / Yu Shiyuan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-08-01
Features: "Oh Moon! What is in your heart that can move my heart so powerfully?" — Keats, Endymion The Legends of the Moon presents to readers countless fascinating stories related to the moon throughout history by narrating moon deities' legends from around the world. The book unfolds its tales in a captivating and engaging manner. Today, even though moon worship has lost its former glory, humanity's association with and reverence for the moon have never faded. The authors of this book have collected these scattered masterpieces of human wisdom from various places and presented them to every reader rich in passion and imagination. The myths and legends of the moon have never stopped advancing since humans began to think. In this intriguing read, Jules Cassford delves into the legends and symbolism of the moon, from simple symbols carved on animal bones in the Paleolithic era to meticulously crafted modern poetry. Layer by layer, he reveals a profound truth: regardless of how the forms change, the moon has always been sending us an unchanging message—birth, growth, aging, death, and rebirth. Every stage of human and animal life cycles: the rise and fall of tides, morning rains and dew, spring sprouts and autumn fruits, birth, aging, illness, and death—all seem to be tightly tied to an ancient, moon-sustained giant web. Primitive humans saw the growth and decay of all things in the waxing and waning of the moon, and they saw eternal and important hope. Even today, despite moon worship having lost its former glory, humanity's association with and reverence for the moon have never faded. Certain elements of these traditions still persist stubbornly in many realms of thought: religious symbolism, mythological stories, folk tales, and what we today call superstition.